Product Description
What leading experts are saying about the Body Ecology Diet: "No one has ever put together all that we need to know about recovering and enhancing immunity - until now. I am making it a must reading for all my patients with candidiasis, immune disorders and food allergies." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (33)

Everything from A to Z
Almost anything you can ask about your health you can fnd and answer for in this comprehensive health guide.

Body Ecology Diet - It will rock your world!
Its an option to change your life for the good without Doctors or drugs, a clean, healthy life style.

Informative
This book is simple and yet so true. It includes principles for overcoming any health issue, epsecially candida, which in of itself causes many health issues. The principles taught in this book are crucial to regaining health and to maintain it throughout life. Since everyone is biologicaly unique everyone must figure out their own needs and how the principles apply specificaly to them. This book is great though for an idea of where to start.

Understanding Eating
I got this book trying to discover why I was tired all the time, why my bowels were so sluggish, why many things seemed to be 'going wrong' at just 45! This layout of information is very organized.There are a lot of 'different' bits that are actually very helpful!I cut back on meat (not out, just back)trying more of a variety (fish,chicken, white pork meat, different red meat cuts minimalizing the amounts); enlarged vegetables to 3/4 my plate - in vast varieties; increased liquids (mostly water with lemon or lime juice for flavor, different raw juices (no fructose corn syrup!).I learned about Kefir and added weekly smoothies.I learned how beneficial coconut water is! and added it. I did this 'diet' change even tho the rest of the family kept their American Diet.It IS possible! just takes determination to make the extra effort.And when they're ready, they might join in with me.But I'll be feeling better everyday regardless!

The final say on this book is this:it gives basic info in such a way, that if applied - even if just a little - will help bring the body back into its intended healthful state.All great things happen over Time.Be patient but determined to 'keep it up.'

Great for anyone with Candida or who wants to be in good health
I am so grateful to have found this book. It is putting me back on the path to good health. Give it a go! ... Read more

Product Description

The world has changed in the seventeen years since the controversial initial publication of Paul Hawken's Ecology of Commerce, a stirring treatise about the perceived antagonism between ecology and business. Yet Hawken's impassioned argument—that business both causes the most egregious abuses of the environment and, crucially, holds the most potential for solving our sustainability problems—is more relevant and resonant than ever.

Customer Reviews (42)

ecology of commerce
everyone in america needs to know the truth and be a part of the solution...corporation and business my take responsibilty, now!

great spine
This books came with a great spine and clean pages, for one cent plus shipping this is an amazing value for a wonderful author and book. The bookseller tried sending it to a different address and was persistant about updating with me.

Get it now, no need to think twice
I'm pretty sure that after you've read this book, you'll feel the way I do: that this in the one book that everyone in the world should read. If there is a more eye-opening book on the same topic than this one out there, I have yet to read it, but it doesn't matter. That's because this book will do a sufficiently good job at shedding our ignorance about the most important, most dangerous issues of our time. It shows the very roots of the problems surrounding our treatment of the environment, not only from a scientific perspective, but from the perspective of what is fundamentally, intrinsically wrong with how our whole society is arranged, on a multitude of levels (not only commerce as the title implies). It shows exactly why inaction has been the status quo until now. It also shows the real nightmare-inducing dangers of continuing business as usual regarding how we treat the environment, on a scientific level. This doesn't mean that it's a book purposely architected to incite fear, uncertainty and doubt. It is simply one of the most profound, honest, right-to-the-point accounts of the problem facing us.

How do I know this? I don't. Therefore I'll now set off on a mission to read all of the other books by Amory Lovins and Paul Hawken, and possibly other books of the same caliber and on the same topic, and then decide if I want to revise this review, but I'm rather confident I won't have to :-)

I don't really want to allude to the content of the book in further detail, since anything not akin to stellar praise would not do it justice. What I can merely tell you is that you won't be disappointed by reading it. In fact, you will be enthralled by coming across a such an excellent verbalization of what has been bothering you all along.

Always timely and smart
Paul Hawken's book "The Ecology of Commerce" is one of those books one never forgets because it changes the way you think. I first read this book back when it came out in 1994 and just re-read it.

The author doesn't squawk about how bad humans are, but rather offers a sensible, deliberate perspective on how we can change our economic systems to accommodate our relationship with the rest of Nature.

To avoid being an ignorant, knee-jerk reacting activist ( or at least deciding to go down that route) read this book!

Reshaping industrialism
Looking for a book to explain how capitalism and environmentalism can coincide? This is it.
For years we've been led to believe that if we want progress and technology advances we should learn to accept there's a price---> pollution. Mega-Corporates keep polluting our world, poisoning the water we drink and the air we breathe, destroying habitats so thoroughly that our children will probably only see wild animals at Zoos. And it's all done in the name of progress.
Paul Hawken proves the concept of progress=pollution to be very wrong. He demands that companies cut their energy consumption by 80 percent and then use the money they save for research to help find better clean sources of energy. He demands companies reduce their waste and not simply dump it. He demands companies think of what they're doing to our world and not just the bottom line. He even thinks they can make money this way. He suggests a new, more moral way of doing business.
A very thought provoking book raising many very tough questions about the way companies today run their businesses. A must read for anyone interested in environmental issues and the business world.
... Read more

Product Description
This introductory general ecology text features a strong emphasis on helping students grasp the main concepts of ecology while keeping the presentation more applied than theoretical. An evolutionary perspective forms the foundation of the entire discussion. The book begins with the natural history of the planet, considers portions of the whole in the middle chapters, and ends with another perspective of the entire planet in the concluding chapter. Its unique organization of focusing only on several key concepts in each chapter sets it apart from the competition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

stay on top of shipping
I wish the company told me when the book was shipped. I purchased it and should have received an email saying that it had shipped. However, I had to send them a message asking about it. The next day there was an email saying it had shipped and the day after I received it in the mail. I was just anxious about getting it cause my class started and I needed it for the readings. Book arrived in great condition though, just as described. Great bargain for the condition and price.

Excellent book
I got this book in a timely manner. It was in excellent condition, and looked brand new. I have no complaints for this seller or the book that they sent me.

Excellent for Non-Ecology Majors
One of the kinder books I have had to read this semester, and I'm a non-ecology major.Does an excellent job of helping the reader understand complex ecological concepts.Maps and digitally enhanced graphs are extremely helpful visual aids.According to the professor the is not different enough from the 4th edition for those who own it to be obligatory to purchase.Otherwise, it is truely enjoyable (as far as textbooks go) and definitely a worthwhile investment.

Can't beat the price!
Completely satisfied, book in great condition, speedy shipment, and of course, can't beat the price!

Works, but not what I would describe as "very good condition"
I needed the book quickly, and the seller provided it quickly, for which I was thankful.

The book, however, was described as 'very good condition,' which I found to not be the case: upon receiving the package, I saw that the (soft) cover was ripped.

Maybe the rip happened during transit, but I wasn't quite sure how that would work inside a bubble mailer when the envelope remained intact--just not the book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (37)

The Body Ecology Diet
Great book. A friend suggested it to me.Really addresses some of the issues of health that I have been challenged with for many years.

Excellent source of information
My wife started on this road a little bit ago and I started it just a little over 30 days ago. I was well over 300 lbs when I started. In just 30 days, I was able to loose 25lbs. But in this process, my alergies went away. I can think clearer. I just feel better. I now find my self eating to live instead of living to eat. I gave it a 4 star because even though it has a lot of information in it, it wasn't organized well. You jump around a lot to figure out how things are suppose to work. That would be my only gripe.

great information
This is a great book if you are already somewhat knowledgeable in the basics of natural healing. I fear that it could seem daunting and non-sensical to people who are just feeling sick and have been diagonosed (either self or by an N.D) as having an overgrowth of Candida Yeast contributing to their poor health.
The discipline needed to adhere to this diet is pretty strong and there can be so many stages of healing involved (depending on the level of toxicity) that for the very sick, some kind of medical (or informed) supervision may be required.
I recommend this lifestyle shift/cleanse to those who are ready to embrace wellness and realize that it is a long journey that has many detours and forks in the road.
Another book that I have personally found to be very helpful is "Complete Candida Yeast Guidebook" by Jeanne Marie Martin.I went on her diet/cleanse for 6 months about 5 years ago and it helped my digestion and overall body function.I am eager to try "The Body Ecology Diet" in the New Year and hope it will establish digestive health for the year to come,

the healing system that changed my life
When I was given this book for the first time, about 8 years ago when my health was at an all-time low that had been slowly declining for years. I was under 30 and had a list of chronic ailments longer than any senior citizen I knew; terrible heartburn every day all the time, gas, bloating, painful bowel movements (terribly painful), chronic vaginitis, chronic acute asthma so bad I was on 3 inhalers, pills, steroids AND I was still in the ER about once per month, weight gain, fatigue, major irritability and mood swings, depression, horrible lower back issues that always coincided with asthma flare ups (which of course, MDs told me were unrelated!), allergies to everything...I was a mess but it crept up so slowly over time I didn't even "get" how ridiculous it was. It seemed that everyone around me had similar issues and complaints (except maybe for the asthma) so I accepted it like the sleepwalking masses. I'd started to wake up and tried things like the Zone and Blood type diets. They were ok and I'd see some improvements but not anywhere near enough, no matter how disciplined I was. But when I went to see a chiropractor ( a really good one) who also practiced other wonderful forms of holistic healing, she handed me an older edition of this book and said that ALL of my issues were related to one underlying cause; Candidiasis.

I'd never heard of it but I was thrilled to see her react so matter of factly to my list of ailments and to be so confident about healing them, naturally. She said to take it home, read it, don't freak out if it seems overwhelming (which it did at first), then put it down and forget about it for a few days (letting the information filter into the subconscious) and then pick it up and reread it again. The second time I read it, everything clicked. It didn't seem intimidating and she and I even worked together to sort of mold it to my personal needs. We added the use of some wonderful supplements since I was so toxic; Paragone and Parazyme by Renew Life, and daily mega-doses of Metagenics probiotics (and later on, Dr. Ohhira's).

Luckily, the principles of the "diet" (which became a lifestyle for me) all invovled things I had experiment with before; acid/alkaline, yin/yang, blood type (taken with a grain of salt since it doesn't all work on my body), food combining...all things I had some knowledge of and that tend to overlap, really. A truly alkaline meal is usually properly food combined as it is (unless you're eating only protein, which is unbalanced), for example. So even though it was right around Christmas and my chiro said to wait until after, I was ready to heal! I jumped in, figured out a handful of recipes and easy meals on the plan and never looked back.

The first week was tough; I felt like I had the flu (sneexing, achey, tired, sore throat), but that's just a reaction to the toxic die off so I pushed on, knowing it was actually a good sign. Cleansing isn't always uncomfortable, but for someone as toxic as I was, I got off easy. Within 2 weeks, I felt better than I could remember and that was the tip of the iceberg. After a few months, I was a new woman; happy, energetic, excited, confident. After 6 months my entire life changed, on every level, in the most positive ways. Becoming truly healthy, in a way I never even knew was possible, changed my emotional and spiritual state as well. And I felt empowered because now I had the knowledge of how to allow my beautiful body to heal herself, which she had been trying to do all along.

BED is all about giving your body exactly what it needs and then getting the hell out of its way. ALL of my issues were gone after 6 months of doing it strictly. I hadn't been that healthy or radiant in my entire life. I found that I could go out and treat myself to something here and there without any ill effect, but I honestly didn't crave it much after the excess beasties were gone. A healthy body doesn't crave crap. And I then spent the next few years living on a modofied version; I LIKED the food! Millet with fresh carrots, ginger and dill....YUM! Broiled salmon with fresh spinach sauteed in coconut oil, garlic and fresh herbs...YUM! Quinoa flakes with stevia, cinnamon and nutmeg...YUM! Homemade ginger ale sweetened with stevia...awesome. You just find what you like, play with it, create about 10 dishes that are quick, easy and on the plan and you're set.

Yes, it takes some planning, shopping and prep but skipping Starbuck's and fast food actually frees up a lot of time and money. And after the initial cleansing phase, you'll have more energy than you'll know what to do with and making some veggies or salads won't seem like a hardship. I used to coach people through this process when I went to work for that wonderful chiropractor. It's a challenge and a learning experience, but the return is the gift of REAL LIFE! Radiance, vitality, energy, clarity, joy, beauty. Oh yeah, and I lost 40 pounds I'd wished I could lose all my life, and it wasn't even my focus anymore! It was a nice side effect.

So please, if you want some honest to G-d positive change in your life, true natural healing and to be empowered to control your own health and well being without drugs, find this book, anyway you can. (BTW, the cultured veggies are actually yummy and can be bought fresh at Whole Foods, the meals are really wonderful and satisfying and the rewards are priceless.)

Nothing short of life changing...but the question is, are you ready? Are you ready to put yourself and your well being first?

FABULOUS!!!
This book has helped me to get in the best shape ever! Not only did it help me get rid of most of my Candida symptoms (and ive onel been on the diet for one month) but it taught me to really get in touch with my body as well as discover a new way of eating.

I had been on many Candida diets but none of them were as well researched and documented as this one. I especially liked the part about food combining as well as only eating until you are 80% full (over ealting is so bad for you). It would be great to know when youare 80% full though. I find that when I have my first burp it means that im full, but that's already 100% full. Im having a hard time trying to figure out when to stop eating...but then again I know that I have a real problem with overeating.

It would have been nice to have more recipes though. Especially international ones. For example, I live in Korea at the moment and here they use lettuce instead of tortilla or pitas to wrap food. it's delicious and totally in line with the diet. There are so many International recipes as well as ways of eating that could have been included in this book, perhaps in the next edition. I wish I could team up with the author to give her some more recipes.

Also, the author seems to really encourage getting lots of colonics but I have been told that they are not good for your body. I guess everyone has different opinions and I'm not completely dismissing the idea of getting one but not as often as suggested in the book (wouldn't that also get really expensive?)

Overall I would really recommend that anyone no matter whether sick or not should read this book and follow this diet for at least 3 months in order to improve their health immensely! ... Read more

Product Description
Janisse Ray grew up in a junkyard along U.S. Highway 1, hidden from Florida-bound vacationers by the hedge at the edge of the road and by hulks of old cars and stacks of blown-out tires. Ecology of a Cracker Childhood tells how a childhood spent in rural isolation and steeped in religious fundamentalism grew into a passion to save the almost vanished longleaf pine ecosystem that once covered the South. In language at once colloquial, elegiac, and informative, Ray redeems two Souths. "Suffused with the same history-haunted sense of loss that imprints so much of the South and its literature. What sets Ecology of a Cracker Childhood apart is the ambitious and arresting mission implied in its title. . . . Heartfelt and refreshing." - The New York Times Book Review.Amazon.com Review
The scrubby forests of southern Georgia, dotting a landscapeof low hills and swampy bottoms, are not what many people wouldconsider to be exalted country, the sort of place to inspire lyricalconsiderations of nature and culture. Yet that is just what essayistJanisse Ray delivers in her memorable debut, a memoir of life in apart of America that roads and towns have passed by, a land settled byhardscrabble Scots herders who wanted nothing more than to be leftalone, and who bear the derogatory epithet "cracker" with quietpride.

Ray grew up in a junkyard outside what had been longleafpine forest, an ecosystem that has nearly disappeared in the AmericanSouth through excessive logging. Her family had little money, but thatwas not important; they more than made up for material want throughunabashed love and a passion for learning, values that underlie everyturn of Ray's narrative.She finds beauty in weeds and puddles,celebrates the ways of tortoises and woodpeckers, and arguespowerfully for the virtues of establishing a connection with one'snative ground.

"I carry the landscape inside like an ache," Raywrites. Her evocations of fog-enshrouded woods and old ways of livingare not without pain for all that has been lost--but full of hope aswell for what can be saved. --Gregory McNamee ... Read more

Customer Reviews (45)

Rare gift
I came across this book quite by accident and was intrigued by its title. Despite it's being a "Georgia Book of the Year" I had never heard of it (because I'm in Seattle?) This book tells the story of a way of life and the ecology of a region that is often ignored. It was so beautifully written that I think of it as prose poetry. I recently passed it on to my parents who live in northeast Florida. It was hard for me to give it up. I want to read it again and share it with other people. I guess I'll just be buying more copies.

Janisse Ray weaves the story of her childhood and her family through the warp and weft of life in rural Georgia and the ecology of the once vast longleaf pine forests. It is a book that reminds us that all things are connected, and that people everywhere have worth and essentially desire the same things. I highly recommend this book. I could not put it down.

growing up in a south Georgia junkyard
My husband and I have bicycled all over the southern part of Georgia, so that I particularly enjoyed revisiting the town of Baxley through this book and seeing it through the eyes of someone who grew up there.Janisse Ray's family owned a junkyard, and that seems somewhat incongruous in a book whose title includes the word "ecology."Oddly enough, the junkyard was a giant recycling zone of sorts, where discarded parts could be resurrected in other vehicles.It's a stretch, but I get it.The author alternates chapters about her childhood with observations on the deforestation and diminishing wildlife populations in the area.Her focus is largely on the longleaf pine, which was all but eliminated from the planet by construction, turpentine production and wood-burning locomotives. There's also a heartbreaking story about a captured gopher tortoise that will forever haunt me.Although, she was well-loved, well-fed, and well-educated, Ms. Ray did not have an easy life, having to dress and behave in accordance with her family's apostolic religious beliefs.Her family stories are mostly upbeat, though, except for that of the whipping her father doles out to all the children for witnessing an episode of animal cruelty without making an effort to stop it.Also, my husband and I obsessed for several hours over a math problem that appears in the book without its solution.Only in my household....

The Hobo Philosopher
Ecology of a Cracker Childhood

By Janisse Ray

Book Review

By Richard Edward Noble

I've lived in Florida and on a bay for a few decades. I have been a seafood worker. I caught oysters for a living. Seafood workers from my area have been fighting for clean water and a clean bay forever. But it is strange. The same folks who toss their old washing machines onto the beach and watch them get buried by the tide; the same folks who throw their old couches out into the woods; the same folks who clutter the bay water with the beer cans and debris from their work boats; the same folks who put an old 50 gallon metal drum in their backyard to drain their sewerage in place of a proper septic system; these are the same people who are marching in front of the capital building protesting for clean water and a properly managed bay. It all seems so ... inconsistent.

Oh, I know why they do these improper things. They do them because they are poor and the bay and the woods that surround them belong to them, they think. Truthfully speaking, pollution and a lack of concern for the environment have long been an American tradition for most of us. I have been one of the poor, stupid polluters. If you don't have any money, it is easier to toss that old washing machine onto the beach, or throw that couch into the woods. I understand those actions.

And that is what I see in this book - the inconsistency. When I was a young man I smoked, drank and worked out every other day to build a strong body. Sometimes I smoked while I was lifting my weights. The winding river that ran through the industrial mill town where I lived was filled with textile dyes and paper industry chemicals. It was used as a city dump for the tenement dwellers in the area. Today the children of the violating polluters are busy forming groups to dredge out all the old automobile tires, furniture and old bicycles. Seems strange ... inconsistent ... but very real. It has got to make you stop and think.

The author of this book was raised in a junkyard beside route 1 along the east coast. She grew up and became an environmentalist. She has written this autobiography of her junkyard childhood and alternates it with chapters about the dwindling Florida longleaf pine. On the one hand we can say how cleaver. What a unique writing trick or technique. But the book isn't a writing ploy. Her autobiography is no "Tobacco Road," making light of her poor upbringing. It is the counter positioning of two things that the author has grown to love and respect, wright or wrong - her struggling family, friends and neighbors and the beautiful trees and woods surrounding their homestead.

This is a good book. Well worth buying and reading. It is filled with contrasts and inconsistencies. But they are viewed with love and understanding - the good and the bad side by side. We get an honest look at ourselves and a glimpse of what we can be - if we try hard enough.


Books written by Richard Noble - The Hobo Philosopher:
"Hobo-ing America: A Workingman's Tour of the U.S.A.."
"A Summer with Charlie" Salisbury Beach, Lawrence YMCA
"A Little Something: Poetry and Prose
"Honor Thy Father and Thy Mother" Novel - Lawrence, Ma.
"The Eastpointer" Selections from award winning column.
"Noble Notes on Famous Folks" Humor - satire - facts.
"America on Strike" American Labor - History
"A Baker's Dozen" Short Stories

Very unhappy with Amazon, Barnes and Noble is better!
I never received the book I ordered from Amazon.I needed the book for class so I ordered it from Barnes and Noble and received it within two days at a much cheAper price.Amazon's delivery charges Are inflated also.I tell people not use Amazon be cause paid for a product and never received it.Their customer service said it is the third parties responsibility to send my money or the book.How convenient.

Musings on our many environments from a kindred spirit
"Ecology of a Cracker Childhood" is probably the most moving autobiography I've ever read. By turns heartbreaking, inspirational, and motivational, Ray's story is one of an outsider in every respect; the daughter of a junkyard owner in rural Georgia, she faces a number of obstacles including her father's precarious mental stability. Looking back with a mix of fondness and acceptance rather than anger, Ray looks at how her environment (built and natural, as well as home) shaped who she became. Ray intersperses the book with chapters on long-leaf pines, gopher tortoises, and other uniquely Southern flora and fauna that is endangered and rapidly disappearing. While it may be jarring to the reader, Ray is making a larger point; we are forcing the environment to adapt or die to suit our needs rather than adapting to the environment. Ray writes lovingly of how nature slowly reclaims the wrecked hulks of cars in her father's junkyard; nature slowly, steadily winning over man and man's folly. Along the way she recounts unusual tales of her difficult path to adulthood that are profoundly moving. In some respects the chapters are by turns explanations and a badge of honor rather than excuses. Her recounting of a rare visit to the North will likely register profoundly with any Southerner who has ventured there. Perhaps it is because Ray and I are the same age or perhaps because our backgrounds are eerily similar, but I feel a connection and a deeper understanding and appreciation for where she's coming from and who she is. Ray is unabashedly unapologetic and "Ecology" will alternately move you to fits of laughter and sometimes nearly to tears, but it will not leave you unmoved. ... Read more

Product Description

Known for its emphasis on the relevance of ecology in everyday life and the human impact on ecosystems, Elements of Ecology, Seventh Edition  features new “Interpreting Ecological Data” exercises to help readers develop quantitative skills. Each chapter draws upon current research in the various fields of ecology providing accessible examples that help readers understand species natural history, specific ecosystems, the process of science, and ecological patterns at both an evolutionary and demographic scale. The Nature of Ecology, Adaptation and Evolution, Climate, The Aquatic Environment, The Terrestrial Environment, Plant Adaptations to the Environment, Animal Adaptations to the Environment, Life History Patterns, Properties of Populations, Population Growth, Intraspecific Population Regulation, Metapopulations, Interspecific Competition, Predation, Parasitism and Mutualism, Community Structure, Factors Influencing the Structure of Communities, Community Dynamics, Landscape Ecology, Ecosystem Energetics, Decomposition and Nutrient Cycling,  Biogeochemical Cycles, Terrestrial Ecosystems, Aquatic Ecosystems, Land—Water Margins, Large-scale Patterns of Biological Diversity,Population Growth, Resource Use, and Sustainability, Habitat Loss, Biodiversity, and Conservation,Global Climate Change

Customer Reviews (16)

Nice book
It was brand-new so everything was perfect!
However, it was a little bit more pricey than I hoped it to be.
But still it was brand-new so the book itself was great.

Old editions are cheaper!
I bought this book instead of the 7th edition because it was $80 cheaper!!The two editions are almost identical with 2 chapters switched.

Awesome
Though I am returning it because I don't need the class anymore, I recieved the book within 2 days! better condition than expected. I will definately order again from this seller.

A Significant Book from America's Preeminent Field Biologist
This is a great book.I had Dr. Smith for Field Ecology when I was a Wildlife Management student at WVU.His first book was the only field ecology text book for many years.He is a brilliant writer who is able to illuminate obscure principles in interesting and understandable ways.He has the unusual ability to write to his audience, from the scholarly to the popular.His research has opened new horizons.I believe history will show his importance surpasses that of Aldo Leopold.

Thorough and Timely Ecological Knowledge
Robert Leo Smith is one of the "Grand Gurus" of ecology textbook writers.I have been reading his textbooks since the early 1970's, most notably his flagship book "Ecology and Field Biology" which has gone through numerous editions, and which have been used in countless college courses throughout America. I have read them, taught with them, studied them, and often refer to them. They contain a huge amount of ecological knowledge, which forms the basis for many other ecologically oriented disciplines, such as forestry, agriculture, wildlife, and environmental science:(legions of natural resource professionals cut their "ecology" teeth with this text). This recent edition of "Elements of Ecology" once again shows the expertise of Robert Leo Smith and his collaborator, Thomas Smith. This iteration contains 29 chapters, divided into eight parts. The parts consist of the physical environment, the organism and its environment, populations, species interactions, community ecology, ecosystem ecology, and ecological biogeography. It definitely requires a college reading level and ability, but I would not hesitate to use it as a reference in high school and AP courses. It is well written, well illustrated, and has very good summaries at the end of each chapter, along with study questions.I know that there are several good textbooks on ecology out there; this one would be my "go to" text for teaching a one semester general ecology course. In addition, there is a useful website that one can access when you buy a book which has a serial number you must input.The website contains useful vocabulary reviews, study questions and practice quizzes. ... Read more

Product Description
A Primer of Ecology, Fourth Edition presents a concise but detailed exposition of the most common mathematical models in population and community ecology. It is intended to demystify ecological models and the mathematics behind them by deriving the models from first principles. The book may be used as a self-teaching tutorial by students, as a primary textbook, or as a supplemental text to a general ecology textbook.The Primer explains in detail basic concepts of exponential and logistic population growth, age-structured demography, metapopulation dynamics, competition, predation, island biogeography, succession, and, in a chapter new to this edition, species richness. Each chapter is carefully graded from simple material that is appropriate for beginning undergraduates to advanced material, which is suited for upper-division undergraduates and beginning graduate students. Advanced topics include environmental and demographic stochasticity, discrete population growth and chaos, stage-structured demography, intraguild predation, nonlinear predator-prey isoclines, and passive sampling. Each chapter follows the same structure: model presentation and predictions, model assumptions, model variations, empirical examples, and problems.Essential equations are highlighted for students use. Intermediate algebraic expressions are also illustrated so that students see where the equations came from. New terms are introduced in the text in boldface type to alert students to novel concepts. The Primer contains more mathematical detail than many ecology textbooks, but avoids jargon and mathematical terminology that can intimidate students. Both simple and advanced problems are included, followed by fully worked solutions so that students can gain confidence and a better understanding of the models. Citations are kept to a minimum. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Great First Approach on Ecology
This book is a must for people starting to study ecology.
It's short, very well written and clear, concise, not oversimplifying, and it's very nice to read. It has real life examples too. It's true it doesn't go very deep, but it gives you the perfect fundation to go deeper after it, reading Begon for example, which is a good book but gives for granted a lot of concepts.
Anyone can read this book, because it starts fron absolut zero, which is the very best of it.

A practical handbook
This is the best practical manual for quick understanding of topic such as growth rate, life history table, etc.

Easy to read and understand
Unlike some other texts, this book is easy to read and understand.Gives a great overview of ecological models.

Amazon purchase review
The book I ordered was in perfect condition and I received it very quickly!!I've always had excellent service from Amazon.com!

Excelent book
This book is an excelent work on population biology, it includes the basic elements to study the dynamics of population in nature, I recomend it. ... Read more

Product Description
Gregory Bateson was a philosopher, anthropologist, photographer, naturalist, and poet, as well as the husband and collaborator of Margaret Mead. With a new foreword by his daughter Mary Katherine Bateson, this classic anthology of his major work will continue to delight and inform generations of readers.

"This collection amounts to a retrospective exhibition of a working life. . . . Bateson has come to this position during a career that carried him not only into anthropology, for which he was first trained, but into psychiatry, genetics, and communication theory. . . . He . . . examines the nature of the mind, seeing it not as a nebulous something, somehow lodged somewhere in the body of each man, but as a network of interactions relating the individual with his society and his species and with the universe at large."--D. W. Harding, New York Review of Books

"[Bateson's] view of the world, of science, of culture, and of man is vast and challenging. His efforts at synthesis are tantalizingly and cryptically suggestive. . . .This is a book we should all read and ponder."--Roger Keesing, American Anthropologist

Gregory Bateson (1904-1980) was the author of Naven and Mind and Nature. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Steps to an Ecology of Information
This is a book that has grown on me since my first exposure to it around 1980.I'll find myself thinking of a point and need to go find the book are reread the essay.

One of the things that fascinates me about the book, as I come to understand some of Bateson't thinking, is when these essays were written. He and colleagues were attempting to understand an unformed (and unnamed) topic for which no adequate vocabulary yet existed. I mean, look at the title "Steps to an Ecology of Mind" -- He's trying to understand "ideas" and how they interact.He defines "idea" as "a difference that makes a difference" -- He's grappling with concepts that were ultimately (in 1947) named "information" -- and Bateson's "idea" is Shannon's "bit".He's doing it in a much broader context than computers and formal communications, but he's studying information. One essay that more obviously shows this is "A Reexamination of Bateson's Rule" where he's looking at how much information is needed to specify living forms by examining the types of failures when something goes wrong.

As a computer scientist, information is the basic medium I study / manipulate, and I've spent significant time trying to understand how to create and manage complex software systems.In Bateson's terms, I've spent my career studying one small part of an Ecology of Mind.

What is the difference between a nip and a bite?
Really, what is the difference between a nip and a bite? They look the same, when you are watching kittens playing, how can you tell if they are biting in earnestness or just fooling around? Well you can't really tell, because a nip is a bite and isn't a bite all at the same time. However, you can tell, of course you can, because a nip has a sign posted on it saying "this is play", a bite on the other hand has a sign saying "this is for real". Moreover tells us Bateson - one of the greatest minds in social thought - whoever cannot tell the difference between a bite and a nip is in big trouble, because the sign stating "this is play" enables us to tell reality from imagination, thus safeguarding our sanity. "Steps in the ecology of the mind" is a profound statement on the mechanisms that make us tick, on the human condition.

A true masterpiece!
Bateson's writings are profoundly layered with meaning that a brief glance will overlook.His prolific influence can be found in sundry fields of study, including psychiatry, communication theory, and marriage and family therapy to name a few.

This is the type of book (among few) that can be read over and over again while discovering new facets of understanding every time.

I highly recommend the metalogues.

Buzzwords mixed toghether in a pile of dross
Take all the buzzwords in fashion in psychology and philosophy: classification, genotype, flexibility, somatic, discrete, threshold, characteristics, analytic... mix everything together and you get this book.
In other words there's not an ounce of meaning in those 700 pages, it's all worthless. No case studies, no examples, long phrases full of self importance written by someone who thinks he's an authority in everything from zen to medecine to evolution theory to archeology. Not only does he prove he doesn't understand anything, you'll laugh yourself silly reading any paragraph of the book at random.

If you have to read this for an assignment, you'd better change major and give it to your worst enemy for toilet paper. That's how low I think of this. And to think that a tree was felled for this. Ha !

This book is an old friend.
Out of the hundreds of books that I was forced to read through high school and college, maybe five caught my imagination.This was one of them.Before anyone was really interested in thinking about thinking, Bateson sat down and did so.He was attempting to raise a bunch of questions that might help some to in-form their search for understanding in the world, or at least for points to be curious about, which in his mind is where science has to begin if it wants to know anything.It certainly helped to inform my thinking.

Not only did Bateson do a bang-up job of getting me to think in interesting or useful or maybe somewhat cleaner ways, he's actually pretty good at writing..... ... Read more

Product Description
Marine mammals command a high level of public attention, reflected in specific legislation for their protection and management in many countries. They also present particular challenges to ecologists and conservation biologists. They are mostly difficult to observe, they occupy an environment that is vast in its three dimensional extent, there are often perceived conflicts between marine mammals and people, and furthermore several species are now close to extinction.

Marine mammals have some intriguing features in their biology - the ability to dive to crushing depths, to perform breath-hold dives that defy our current understanding of mammalian physiology, and many have an ability to hunt down prey using sophisticated sonar that we are only just beginning to understand. Many species also have complex social structures. We still have much to learn about these extraordinary animals so a comprehensive and authoritative overview of current methodology is now timely. The intention of this book is both to summarize the state-of-the-art and to encourage innovation and further progress in this research field. ... Read more

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Offering essential environmental wisdom for the twenty-first century, this lively, compact book explains more than sixty basic ecological concepts in an easy-to-use A-to-Z format. From Air and Biodiversity to Restoration and Zoos, Ecology: A Pocket Guide forms a dynamic web of ideas that can be entered at any point or read straight through. An accessible, informative guide to achieving ecoliteracy, it tells the story of the amazing interconnectivity of life on Earth and along the way provides the ecological understanding necessary for fighting environmental degradation. This new edition has been updated throughout and features five new essays on the topics of biotechnology, global warming, migration, smell, and tourism.Amazon.com Review
Everyone talks about the weather, the old saw has it, but noone can do anything about it. Similarly, it seems, we all talk aboutenvironmental problems, but few of us seem able to propose rationalsolutions to such matters as global warming and deforestation. ErnestCallenbach, the author of the futuristic novel Ecotopia, aims withthis little primer to increase our ecological literacy, and thus ourability to act on pressing environmental problems with a betterinformed vision. Beginning with his homespun rendering of theprincipal laws of ecology ("All things are interconnected. Everythinggoes somewhere. There's no such thing as a free lunch. Nature batslast.") Callenbach shows that all environmental relationships arereciprocal, and that if you tinker with one element of anecosystem--by, say, removing trees from a rainforest--you are likelyto alter other elements as well, more often than not for theworse. His lively entries cover the basic chemistry of air, theusefulness of bacteria (from which, Callenbach reminds us, all lifeforms descended), the ecosystemic effects of industrial pollution, andthe principles of sustainable city design--all in the space of 150pages. This slender, well-written volume serves as a welcome brush-upcourse for environmental activists and as an introduction forbeginning students of the ways of the physical world. --GregoryMcNamee ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

great
Book was sent quickly and was in great condition.Would do bussiness with this business/person again.

arrived in perfect condition
This book arrived in perfect condition and right on time.I was very happy with the overall experience of this transaction and will certainly conduct business in the future with this seller. ... Read more

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Product Description

Provides simple explanations of the important concepts in population and community ecology.

Provides R code throughout, to illustrate model development and analysis, as well as appendix introducing the R language.

Interweaves ecological content and code so that either stands alone.

Supplemental web site for additional code.

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent guide to simulation and theory in ecology
This primer provides an excellent, upper-level, introduction to theoretical and simulation ecology.Working through the presented R code and exercises provides a deeper understanding of the thinking of many of the most famous theoretical ecologists, while also introducing the methods by which students can examine ecological questions through simulation. ... Read more

Product Description
Methods in Stream Ecology provies a complete series of field and laboratory protocols in stream ecology that are ideal for teaching or conducting research. This new edition is updated to reflect recent advances in the technology associated with ecological assessment of streams, including remote sensing. In addition, the relationship between stream flow and alluviation has been added, and a new chapter on riparian zones is also included. With a student-friendly price, this Second Edition is key for all students and researchers in stream and freshwater ecology, freshwater biology, marine ecology, and river ecology. This text is also supportive as a supplementary text for courses in watershed ecology/science, hydrology, fluvial geomorphology, and landscape ecology.

* Exercises in each chapter
* Detailed instructions, illustrations, formulae, and data sheets for in-field research for students
* Taxanomic keys to common stream invertebrates and algae
* Website with tables
* Link from Chapter 22: FISH COMMUNITY COMPOSITIONto an interactive program for assessing and modeling fish numbers ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Most useful
I consider this book the best one I ever read about stream ecology assessment, with both strong theoretical bases and very useful/interesting field methods shown.
I used this book for my own field work and for students. They loved it, as I did before.

Speedy Shipment of Helpful Book
I'm currently a Ph.D. student with prior experience in aquatic ecology. Previously, most of my work has focused on lentic rather than lotic systems.After taking the usual stream ecology and hydrology courses I felt confident that I understood the basic concepts of ecology as they pertain to flowing water. However, when designing an experiment from scratch I needed a "crash course" in how to implement methodology.This book has been no disappointment on that front, and is a must have for anyone entering the field as a stream ecologist.In addition, I feel it would make a good supplemental text whereby students could perform some of the procedures outlined in the book for labs.

Never received
I never received the book and no reply from repeated emails to the seller. Amazon refunded my money.

top book
After so many 'yawn' text books, this one is really useful. I'm teaching a lab in freshwater ecology. There is a lot of material that is very useful. Any new methods your wanting to try out for research or monitoring, this book gives you an excellent introduction on what to do and how, including all the important info normally left out scientific literature (sourcing materials etc.). ... Read more

Product Description

Stream Ecology by Allan and Castillo is extensively revised and updated from the successful first edition to include major developments over the past decade. Although the subject matter is relatively advanced, this book has been written with the express goal of being accessible to students with only modest backgrounds in ecology and aquatic sciences. The First Edition was widely praised for its readability, and that emphasis is retained. The second edition opens with a new introductory chapter that sets the stage for what follows. The treatment of geomorphology and hydrology are greatly expanded from the first edition, and have been split into two, more substantial chapters. Basal energy resources, trophic roles and food web interactions are retained but thoroughly updated, particularly to include recent advances in microbial ecology and the synergies between producers and decomposers. The discussion of species interactions has been re-organized so that modern topics receive more emphasis, including trophic cascades, subsidies and food web structure. Chapters on organic matter dynamics and nutrient cycling have been substantially re-written to reflect the enormous growth in knowledge of stream metabolism and nutrient processes, the core of ecosystem functioning. The closing chapter on human impacts summarizes the status of river ecosystems and principal threats, and new material that describes advances in river management including the science of environmental flows, the successes and failures of river restoration, and the potential for ecosystem-based catchment management.

Customer Reviews (6)

Not the best, but gets the job done
I am a college student who was taught in a course using this textbook. From a student's perspective, the book was thorough and detailed but relatively unhelpful. The block text and lack of bolded words (or color, for that matter) was a huge deterrent to effective studying. These elements may not be important for professors, but they truly make a difference to students. The illustrations were confusing at best and unintelligable at worst (even reading the caption and text did not effectively explain the graph in some instances). All in all, it contained good information, but I ultimately used it very little.

Great transaction
Book came on time and in great shape just as the seller promised.Thank you very much.

This text has few pictures but...
The composition and content of this text make up for a lack of illustrations, which are black and white photos or graphs.

Accessible to Scientists - Not Fishermen

My interest in this book followed from a desire to obtain information that might help me outwit wild and wily trout by any and every means possible. And sure enough, this book contains a wealth of information. The only problem is that much of it is incomprehensible to the lay reader as opposed to the scientific community.

For instance, here's what I encountered as I researched what and how fish eat (feeding ecology of riverine fishes): "Herbivorous fishes with scraping mouthparts such as the stoneroller Campostoma anomalum clearly have little in common with ooze feeders such as the blunt-nose minnow Pimephales notatus. Some benthic invertebrate feeders utilize prey primarily from soft bottoms (the suckermouth minnow Phenacobius mirabilis), others from stony bottoms (the greenside darter Etheostoma blennioides)."

OK...

On the other hand, for biologists and advanced students of ecology the book presents a comprehensive exposition of technical information. And the rest of us, who may not be equipped to cut through the scientific jargon, will still take away a sense of the intricacy and complexity of the living systems of streams and rivers.

Disappointing
since this is the best text on the subject. Cluttered and difficult, reads more like a literature review than a textbook. There is no glossary and the index isn't very good. The figures are hard to interpret without reading the text. The drawings are poor quality. On the other hand, it is packed with information. Anything you want to know about stream ecology is in here, its just difficult to access. ... Read more

Product Description
"Graced with a bold political and environmental vision, much splendid phrasemaking and a multitude of facts. . . . A truly eccentric contribution."--The New York Times Book Review  

Earthquakes. Wildfires. Floods. Drought. Tornadoes. Snakes in the sea, mountain lions, and a plague of bees. In this controversial tour de force of scholarship, unsparing vision, and inspired writing, Mike Davis, the author of City of Quartz, revisits Los Angeles as a Book of the Apocalypse theme park. By brilliantly juxtaposing L.A.'s fragile natural ecology with its disastrous environmental and social history, he compellingly shows a city deliberately put in harm's way by land developers, builders, and politicians, even as the incalculable toll of inevitable future catas-trophe continues to accumulate.

Counterpointing L.A.'s central role in America's fantasy life--the city has been destroyed no less than 138 times in novels and films since 1909--with its wanton denial of its own real history, Davis creates a revelatory kaleidoscope of American fact, imagery, and sensibility.  Drawing upon a vast array of sources, Ecology of Fear meticulously captures the nation's violent malaise and desperate social unease at the millennial end of "the American century."  With savagely entertaining wit and compassionate rage, this book conducts a devastating reconnaissance of our all-too-likely urban future.

"Dizzying. . . . In Mr. Davis's account, the world ends in fire, and the next time is now."--The New York TimesAmazon.com Review
The 1990s have not been kind to Los Angeles. As Mike Daviswrites, "The destructive February 1992, January 1993, and January1995 floods ($500 million in damage) were mere brackets around theApril 1992 insurrection ($1 billion), the October-November 1993firestorms ($1 billion) and the January 1994 earthquake ($42billion)." But, he argues, the increasing fear about nature'sreign of terror in Southern California reflected in Hollywood'spreoccupation with apocalypse--L.A. has been destroyed on screen byeverything from lava (Volcano) to nukes (Miracle Mile)to alien death rays (Independence Day)--is in reality a strongcase of denial. Again, Davis himself says it best: "Forgenerations, market-driven urbanization has transgressed environmentalcommon sense. Historic wildfire corridors have been turned intoview-lot suburbs, wetland liquefaction zones into marinas, andfloodplains into industrial districts and housing tracts. Monolithicpublic works have been substituted for regional planning and aresponsible land ethic. As a result, Southern California has reapedflood, fire, and earthquake tragedies that were as avoidable, asunnatural, as the beating of Rodney King and the ensuing explosion inthe streets."

As in City of Quartz,his earlier book about Los Angeles, Davis reveals the deeperideological narratives behind historical events. Whether he'sexplaining the motivations behind the persistent refusal of civicleaders to admit that a tornado alley runs down the middle of theregion, from Long Beach to Pasadena, or discussing, as one chapterrefers to it, "the case for letting Malibu burn," heoutlines his arguments with a fascinating amount of detail and asubtle sense of irony. There are wonderful chapters here, such as"Maneaters of the Sierra Madre," a zoology of the wildbeasts Angelenos fear, including mountain lions that descend from thehills to eat joggers and small children, swarms of Africanized killerbees making their way across the deserts, and El Chupacabra, the"goat-sucking vampire" that joined L.A.'s roster of faddishicons in 1996.

Although this book is specifically about LosAngeles, its lessons about the relationship between urban developmentsand natural ecosystems and about the dangerous influence of classpolitics on environmental safety policy are applicable to anycity. Anyone with a serious interest in natural history or urbanpolicy should make a point of reading this book. --Ron Hogan ... Read more

Customer Reviews (50)

Amazon will not leave me ALONE, They have asked me to review over 5 times, I do not want to do a review !LEAVE ME ALONE !
Amazon will not leave me ALONE, They have asked me to review this BOOK over 5 times, I do not want to do a review !

LEAVE ME ALONE !

GET A ^%^#@ HINT AFTER THE SECOND TIME I IGNORED YOU IT SHOULD BE CLEAR I DO NOT WANT TO DO A %@^%%$* REVIEW !

LEAVE ME ALONE !

Fasten Your Seat Belts
I lived in Los Angeles for over 20 years, from 1980-2000, and enjoyed every minute of it. LA haters have always seemed kind of pathetic and silly to me, like spinsters back in the sixties who thought Elvis was vulgar. Still, LA is not the sort of place to become sentimental about, as Mike Davis makes clear; you can love it but you'd better keep your doors locked. Davis is fun to read because as disastrous and dangerous as the events he describes were, the fact of the matter is that car crashes, as it were, are a kick to watch.Davis' research and writing style make for an impressive sort of journalism. One even suspects that the author knows what he is talking about, but it has to be said that while the evidence does make an impression, most Americans still equate LA with sun and fun, not with the end of the world. The reason Davis had to write this book is that each catastrophe was forgotten two days after it happened. Now this is deserving of a separate chapter. Why is it that in LA there is no accumulative historical perspective, no natural 'history'? Everything that happens there is forgotten by Friday. Isn't that part of the narrative of Los Angeles? Isn't that part of the nightmare of stardom?Think of 'Sunset Boulevard'. Davis makes a valiant effort to write a history of disasters in the Los Angeles area, but one suspects few will pay attention.

Modern America as a Place and Myth
This is a very, very fine book that looks at the archetype of Modern America, Los Angles and Southern California. Looking at the interaction of population growth, individualism (greed!), urban growth without planning, and the nature of the environment, this book shows how we are unwilling to acknowledge the normalcy of earthquakes, fires, tornadoes, and wild animal encounters. It is extremely well-written and researched -- and hard to put down! It is social criticism that is "grounded", literally.

Great for Residents of Los Angeles
As a resident of Los Angeles I found Ecology of Fear a great and informative read. I understand those who review it and find things to quibble with. Nothing is perfect. But for someone like me, possessed before reading this with a feeling that so many things in LA were just wrong, but not having a good understanding how how and why things got to be so messed up in so many ways, Ecology of Fear is an indispensible book. Perhaps the greatest thing I took away from this book was an abiding sense of the "alternate reality" LA that perhaps exists in some other dimension-- an LA where greenbelts line the rivers, where the foothills are left undeveloped and able to burn seasonally as meant to, and where resources are more equitably distributed.

trademark Mike Davis material
Not a sequel to City of Quartz, but a look at current and historical LA from an environmental perspective instead of Quartz's sociological view. Famous for its criticism as much as its content, Ecology Of Fear compiles a staggering amount of information into an informative and compelling story. LA's dynamism is a product of its people, land, water, air, wildlife, history, and future. This is the book that can tell you what life has been and will be like, for those who choose to live in the wilderness of Los Angeles. ... Read more

Product Description

This groundbreaking work is an attempt at providing a conceptual framework to synthesize urban and ecological dynamics into a common framework. The greatest challenge for urban ecologists in the next few decades is to understand the role humans play in urban ecosystems. The development of an integrated urban ecological approach is crucial to advance ecological research and to help planners and managers solve complex urban environmental issues. This book is a major step forward.

Product Description
Evolutionary Behavioral Ecology is intended to be used as a text for graduate students and a sourcebook for professional scientists seeking an understanding of the evolutionary and ecological processes shaping behavior across a wide array of organisms and a diverse set of behaviors. Chapters are written by leading experts in the field, providing a core foundation, a history of conceptual developments, and fresh insight into the controversies and themes shaping the continuing development of the field. Essays on adaptation, selection, fitness, genetics, plasticity, and phylogeny as they pertain to behavior place the field in the broader context of ecology and evolution. These concepts, along with a diversity of theoretical approaches are applied to the evolution of behavior in a many contexts, from individual decision-making of solitary animals through to complex social interactions.

Chapters integrate conceptual and theoretical approaches with recent empirical advances to understand the evolution of behavior, from foraging, dealing with risk, predator avoidance, and an array of social behaviors, including fighting and cooperation with conspecifics and conflict and cooperation between the sexes. The material emphasizes integrative and novel approaches to behavior, including cognitive ecology, personality, conservation biology, the links between behavior and evolution, the evolution of human social behavior, and ways in which modern genetic analyses can augment the study of behavior. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

It's a text book...
It's a graduate student textbook with contributions from authors leading the field of behavioral ecology.For the most part the writing is good, but I read it because I have to so I don't leap for joy over it.Behavioral ecology isnot my field, I'm sure if it were I would enjoy the book more.

Behavioral Ecology for grad students
This book offers a complete review on Behavioral Ecology.
Grads and undergrad students can both learn about this subject. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (3)

A better way is possible
"Ecology and Socialism" by Chris Williams convincingly makes the argument that fundamental socio-economic change is necessary to avert an impending environmental and social catastrophe. Mr. Williams is a professor of physics and chemistry who has been active in the environmental struggle for decades. Understanding both the science and politics of the key environmental issues of our time, Mr. Williams' important message deserves all the attention it can get.

Mr. Williams compares and contrasts the capitalist and socialist modes of production with respect to the promise of living on a sustainable planet. On the one hand, Mr. Williams contends that capitalism is inherently hostile to the environment inasmuch as natural and human resources are sacrificed in order to satisfy the few at the top (see also How the Rich Are Destroying the Earth). On the other hand, Mr. Williams draws on recent scholarship by John Bellamy Foster and Paul Burkett to prove that the integration of human needs with the environment was critically important to Marx, who articulated a vision of a sustainable human social system living in harmony with the earth.

Putting theory to practice, Mr. Williams discusses substitutes for the corporate-controlled industries that are currently running roughshod over the planet. Through Mr. Williams' reasoned argument, we come to learn that we would be far better served by powering our homes with wind and solar power (not nuclear); by consuming locally-grown, tasty and healthy organic foods (not the poisonous kibble from inhumane CAFOs and corporate mega farms); by enforcing commonsense rules to eliminate wasteful packaging at the point of design and manufacturing (not disposal); and so on. However, implementing these changes will require us to organize and insist on a better system that puts people and the environment before profit.

With the debacle of the 2008 financial meltdown and government bailout putting the lie of capitalism in plain view, Mr. Williams' book couldn't be more timely. As the author makes abundantly clear, austerity is not inevitable; to the contrary, an eminently better way of life is within our reach.

I highly recommend this book to everyone.

Finally someone genuinely concerned.
Even though I have just began the book I saw Chris Williams speakyesterday and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since.He is well researched and does speak on the issue from a realistic point of view.This has been the first time I have read/heard something environmentally related that I felt offered a sensible solution. I strongly encourage anyone to read this book because if you are already concerned you will treasue his view point and strongly question how capitalism has in fact corrupted the planet that we live on and if you are a sceptic this book will in fact prove to you there is a real problem.

Justice for the planet
Action through networks, and not adhering to advice from government or corporate leaders, is what "Ecology and Socialism: Solutions to Capitalist Ecological Crisis" advocates as a way of saving the planet.

Author Chris Williams sees a dire future for the Earth and its inhabitants if we don't change our thinking, starting with how we consume energy.The solution, he writes, requires society-wide efforts, not just individual ones, to head off a global disaster.

This is a wide-ranging book, incorporating analysis of Marx, nuclear power plants, lightbulbs, airline workers, coal, natural time and a lot more. His main conclusion is that by shifting away from capitalism, humans will stop wasting energy and materiel on producing stuff we don't need and refocus our efforts on what we do need.

You may not agree precisely with the author's politics underlying the book but most of the environmental arguments are pretty well accepted by leading scientists these days. His solutions are drastic compared to, say, building a compost heap or lowering the thermostat a degree or two, and force us to look at exactly what we are willing to accept for ourselves and future generations. ... Read more

Product Description
Instead of thinking of nature as a resource to be used for human needs, deep ecology argues that the true value of nature is intrinsic. This comprehensive and wide-ranging anthology contains almost 50 articles by the leading writers and thinkers in the field, offering a broad array of perspectives on this important approach to environmentalism. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Absolutely vital
Having read only the preface and the first dozen essays, I can say that this is a vitally important resource. Both as an introduction to the deep ecology movement and philosophy and, more importantly, as a resource for developing an individual program for living and acting in tune with what remains of our natural world in the 21st century. The individual essays are brief and widely sourced, approaching the topic from a variety of perspectives. Not all will resonate with every reader, but you will easily recognize and learn from the arguments that are of meaning to you.

Published in 1995, including essays written as many as 15 years earlier, the collection does include some scientific findings that have been superceded in the ensuing years. That's of little import as recent scientific findings are readily available from other sources and, in most cases, reflect conditions that actually are more dire than at the time of the writing. The real value of this volume is it's insights into underlying causes and appropriate responses. What's amazing is just how prescient these authors were 20 or 30 years ago. This collection is every bit as relevant today as when it was first published, and its insights even more critical to the future of our biosphere.

The high price is dismaying. By all means find a used copy, as I did, if the cost puts you off. And I would strongly encourage the copyright holders to make this book available via Kindle and other electronic means at a reduced price. We need this book.

In the Beginning . . .
The first words of this venerable and very important anthology of seminal papers in environmental ethics are these: "The Long-Range Deep Ecology movement emerged more or less spontaneously and informally as a philosophical and scientific social/political movement during the so-called Ecological revolution of the 1960's.Its main concern has been to bring about a paradigm shift - a shift in perception, values, and lifestyles - as a basis for redirecting the ecologically destructive path of modern industrial growth societies.Since the 1960's, the long-range Deep Ecology movement has been characterized philosophically by a move from anthropocentrism to ecocentrism, and by environmental activism."
I cite this passage because, sadly, the international corporate hegemony, its paid political operatives, and multifarious media mouthpieces have done such a deceitfully effective job of at once clouding the real issue of our desperately precarious environmental situation and reinforcing our wholly unnecessary dependence of non-renewable energy resources to the tune of record profits, that there are many people coming of age in the most literate societies in the world, who have no idea of what Deep Ecology is, not to mention such a basic distinction as that between anthropocentrism to ecocentrism.Actually, I would say that the vast majority of the planet's population is either ignorant of this distinction or acts in feigned ignorance or ignorance-based denial of it.The idea that our ultimate nurturing and sustaining parent is the Earth, that we live on borrowed time, that our first responsibility in any sort of act is consideration of our responsibility to stewardship of this planet, is generally far from most people's minds when they do act.From radical (and radically unnecessary) clear-cut to all-too common litter, as a humanity, we obviously don't get it.
The corporate think-tank seems to produce an never ending stream of ongoing rationalizations and euphemistically-coated rationales for the relentless wholesale destruction of the only home we have, and we embrace, however unwillingly in some cases, but generally unconsciously in most, the systems which enable this unremitting and mindless extirpation of the root of life to go on.
Thus, a bit of re-education on the subject, the philosophical justifications for the ecocentric worldview, might be in order.I can think of no better place to start than the 39 papers in Deep Ecology for the 21st Century, which discuss this need for a shift in our thinking as a humanity in depth.
The book is divided into five sections:What is Deep Ecology?; Historical Roots of Deep Ecology; Arne Naess on Deep Ecology and Ecosophy; Deep Ecology and Eco-Feminism, Social Ecology, the Greens, and the New Age;Wilderness, The Wild, and Conservation Biology; Toward the Twenty-First Century and Beyond: Social and Practical Implications.The book focuses particularly on work of Arne Naess (12 entries) and Gary Snyder (3 entries), two foundational voices deeply rooted in vertices in the philosophical matrix of the position.
Two of my favorite entries in this book, for various reasons, are:
1) Stephan Bodian's interview with Arne Naess, "Simple in Means, Rich in Ends" (1982) "... technology is more helpless than ever before because the technology being produced doesn't fulfill basic human needs, such as meaningful work and meaningful environment.Technical progress is sham progress because the term `technical progress' is a cultural, not a technical term.Our culture is the only one in the history of humankind in which the culture has adjusted itself to the technology rather than visa-versa." "The material standard of living should be reduced and the quality of life, in the sense of basic satisfaction in the depths of one's heart or soul, should be maintained or increased.""All the sciences are fragmentary and incomplete in relation to basic rules and norms, so it's very shallow to think that science can solve our problems.Without basic norms, there is no science.Of course, we need science ..." "A hill is never the same in a repetitious way! The development of sensitivity toward the good things of which there are enough is the true goal of education.Not that we need to limit our goals.I'm not for the simple life, except in the sense of a life simple in means but rich in goals and values."One is led to ask if environmentally exploitative corporate capitalists do not have goals and values as well? Then, while we are, at least, conscious of the possibility of choice, we evidently should focus more on what our goals and values are, why they are what they are, and what are their ultimate ramifications for us?These are fundamental questions, religious questions, if you will, but we rarely ask them directly of ourselves or in a public forum.
2) Wayland Drew's study of anti-utopian fiction, "Killing Wilderness" (1972) "Specifically ... a technological society will be totalitarian regardless of what political structures permit its development, for the essence of technique is efficiency and the autonomous individual, apt to be skeptical, irrational, and recalcitrant, is inefficient.For the general good therefore, the dangerous elements of individuality must be suppressed, and man must be severed from all the spiritual, intellectual, and emotional influences which might promote dissent.Man's integrity must be broken. He must be fragmented and reshaped to participate contentedly in the smooth functioning of the technological State - a State that is fundamentally inimical to his instinct and insulting to his intellect.In other words, the nature of man must be changed."The corporation (as a legal entity or form) is the instrument of that fragmentation and change, and its will, the dictates of the State. "In its mystery and diversity, in exuberance, decay, and fecundity, the perfection of the wilderness contrasts with the sterile and static perfection of the State.The difference between them is that between existence and life, between predictability and chance, between posturing and action.Wilderness ... will threaten the totalitarian state while they co-exist, for the separation of man from nature is imperfect so long as man might recognize that a separation has occurred.""While we are able to do so, let us note the distinction.A park is a managerial unit definable in quantitative and pragmatic terms.Wilderness is unquantifiable.Its boundaries are vague or nonexistent, its contents unknown, its inhabitants elusive.The purpose of parks is use; the earmark of wilderness is mystery.Because they serve technology, parks tend toward the predictable and static, but wilderness is infinitely burgeoning and changing because it is the matrix of life itself.When we create parks we bow to increased bureaucracy and surveillance, but when we speak for wilderness we recognize our right to fewer strictures and greater freedom.Regulated and crowded, parks will eventually fragment us, as they fragment the wilderness which makes us whole."
There are hundreds of other crucial observations in this monumental collection.My one plaint is that the eloquence of great Petra Kelley is not represented. Hopefully, this unfortuanate omission of the slain sister of all Greens will be emended in a future printing or sequel volume, which is overdue.However, these are the decisive early testaments.Please heed them.

Fairness to George Sessions
I am the brother of George Sessions and I am writing to protest
the negative, ad hominem remarks of the review by "California Climber." He says in his otherwise positive review: "Those of you who can read it without experiencing Prof Sessions have a great advantage. He put together an excellent book, unfortunately he is a real jerk. I have never had an instructor talk down to students the way he did."

George Sessions has had thousands of students over the years at Sierra College and has had, on average, excellent reviews by his students in their evaluation of his classes. His courses are very popular and he is highly thought of by most students and faculty at the college. "California Climber" disagrees, which is his right, but it is not his right to personally attack Prof. Sessions in an Amazon "review", where the attack cannot be rebutted, and especially by a former student using an anonymous pseudonym.

I asked my brother if he knew who "California Climber" was and he replied "no." But he said that over the years there have been those students who do not meet the highly demanding work required in his class and who are unhappy with their grades. He said he often uses the "Socratic" method in his classes, calling on students to explain their views, and some students do not like this. Most do. I have personally sat in on my brother's classes and found most of the students to enjoy my brother's humorous and charismatic but somewhat challenging style. Is this teaching approach for everyone? Maybe not. But it is a "cheap shot" to do what California Climber did in his review. Who really is the
"real jerk" here?

Richard Sessions

Eye Opening
I read this book because it was required for Session's Philosophy course at Sierra College. Those of you who can read it without experiencing Professor Sessions have a great advantage. He put together an excellent book, unfortunately he is a real jerk. I have never had an instructor talk down to students the way he did. That being said, Deep Ecology is a fascinating topic. Reading the essays in this book will open your eyes to a very different philosophy on life. The simple arguments carried out by main-stream environmentalists and their counterparts become almost useless. If you are looking for an alternative to the money motivated lobbying of many contemporary organizations or if you just want to read a different viewpoint, I recommend this book!

Deep Ecology for the Twenty-First Century
Absolutely spectacular anthology!I lost my copy and could barely keep from crying.Great information for those new to Deep Ecology.Terrific reading for those familiar with it. ... Read more

Product Description
This textbook helped to define the field of Behavioural Ecology.   In this fourth edition the text has been completely revised, with new chapters and many new illustrations and colour photographs.  The theme, once again, is the influence of natural selection on behaviour – an animal’s struggle to survive and reproduce by exploiting and competing for resources, avoiding predators, selecting mates and caring for offspring, – and how animal societies reflect both cooperation and conflict among individuals.

Written in the same engaging and lucid style as the previous editions, the authors explain the latest theoretical ideas using examples from micro-organisms, invertebrates and vertebrates.  There are boxed sections for some topics and marginal notes help guide the reader.  The book will be essential reading for students of behavioural ecology, animal behaviour and evolutionary biology.

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Customer Reviews (4)

A terrific read, well written
This was a required book for my pre-qual exams for ecology and evolutionary biology. This was the behavioral ecology portion. I found this a very easy read with excellent, succinct examples (probably the most important part). I used this book as a self study rather than taking a course with lectures but I am sure this book would go along well with any major lecturing classes.

Great pictures, easy to understand figures, great examples, one of the best textbooks I've read.

Good Textbook
I didn't have a choice what book to purchase as this is a required text for a class, but it is a good book. It has great examples and details, and offers additional reading suggestions at the end of each chapter. It is actually a textbook that enhances learning/understanding instead of another textbook that confuses students and sits unread on a bookshelf.

Essential of behavioral college students!
Essential of behavioral college students! The Brazilian Portuguese version has some problems with translation but nothing that prejudices the reading of this book. If you read Portuguese and English, choose the English one!

A stimulating insight in animal (and human) behaviour
A well balanced, unique mix of ethology and sociobiology, with strong emphasis on the biologic and evolutionary sides of behaviour. It is concisebut is easy reading.A must have, for those seriously interested in thefield. ... Read more